Install Gutter Guards and Keep Out Debris

Making the decision to install gutter guards can help reduce one of the more unpleasant DIY maintenance tasks around your home: cleaning out clogged gutters. The gutters perform a vital function of collecting rainwater runoff from your roof and diverting it away from your house into an area where it’s naturally absorbed by the landscape. When they fail to do so because they’re clogged with debris, a number of negative consequences result:

• Overflowing gutters send water cascading down exterior walls, causing structural damage and perhaps water infiltration into the home.
• Rainwater that isn’t properly diverted away from the house saturates the ground and seeps into the foundation.
• Standing water trapped in gutters provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes and vermin.
• Gutters that don’t drain completely rust and deteriorate prematurely.

Gutter guards help keep your gutters free of leaves, twigs, bird’s nests and other debris that obstruct the proper flow of water. While a number of types are available, the mesh variety that screens out clogging debris while permitting water to enter the gutter is the most common.  While the less-expensive and marginally effective alternatives are more DIY-friendly, the procedure to install gutter guards that provides a more effective, permanent solution is a very labor-intensive process:

• Existing gutters must be carefully examined and sagging brackets and/or loose screws replaced.
• Every house has different dimensions, so most gutter guards are “custom” installations that require precise measurements.
• Power tools and metal cutting are needed.
• Installing screws, nails or rivets is necessary to secure the gutter guards.
• Substantial work performed on a ladder and the roof may be hazardous, particularly if you’re not accustomed to working at heights.
• More than one person may be required to do the job correctly.

An experienced handyman with the varied skills, proper tools and assistance is usually a better choice to install gutter guards than tackling the job yourself. For more information on the benefits of gutter guards and getting a professional installation that keeps your gutters flowing freely, contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. Image via Shutterstock.com